business •
include the initial diagnostics, with basic recommendations on exercise, relaxation and nutrition. Members can then trade up to the full Balans programme if they have something specifi c they want to achieve. “On top of that, every hotel guest –
whatever the reason for their stay – is automatically a member of the club, with an opportunity to meet with the doctor and personal trainer for an initial consultation, as well as having access to all the facilities. They also receive 10 per cent off in the spa. “And fi nally we have the restaurant
and the bowling club, which gives us access to people who might not naturally come to us for wellness, allowing us to introduce them to the rest of our ‘healthy living’ offering. “Every department has to be
profi table in its own right. However, having so many access points does broaden our reach into new markets.”
fi tness facilities •
Separate CV and resistance
rooms – equipment from Life Fitness, plus the Paul Chek Fitness Works and Triple X brands Large studio offering everything
• •
• •
•
from salsa and pilates classes to a table tennis club 18 x 6m indoor pool – includes
aquaerobics and kids’ swimming lessons Classes such as yoga and tai chi on
the beach in the summer Nature walks in the woods Tennis courts
august 2010 © cybertrek 2010
The spa encompasses 15 treatment rooms, a relaxation area, a manicure/ pedicure area and a hair salon
Currently around 40 per cent of
clients come for the full six-week wellness programme, often as a result of a word-of-mouth recommendation, but the objective now is to build on this, further developing the international client base to encourage more visitors from countries such as Scandinavia, Germany and the UK – at present almost half of all hotel guests come from Russia. “At just 1,500 for the full six- week programme, including full board at the hotel and spa treatments for a week, the offering is very good value compared to western Europe,” says Alla. “Our vision is to create an
internationally recognised concept and brand here in Latvia, which we could then potentially roll out elsewhere. We’re already being asked to build Russian banyas in Moscow, St Petersburg and Paris, and in the longer term we could consider franchising that part of the business out: our banyas could be standalone as well as part of a broader wellness centre. “It’s been very tough launching the
business in a recession, and there were moments when I felt we wouldn’t be able to continue. But I really believed we had the right approach, and our staff believed in it too – there were occasions when we couldn’t even pay them on time, but they understood and we managed to weather the storm. “The wellness industry is often considered to be young, but here in
•
lats) – €300 (210 lats) Sample spa prices:
• • •
• Amber stone massage (90 mins): €54 (38 lats)
• Full body mud wrap (30-40 mins): €57 (40 lats)
• Individual hydrotherapy showers (15 mins): €21 (15 lats)
Balans Club membership packages:
• Amber package: 39 lats a month/ 399 lats a year (gym and swimming pool access only; group exercise classes an additional 2 lats per class)
• Balans package: 59 lats a month/ 599 lats a year (gym, pool, banya, classes; 10 per cent off in the spa)
• Deluxe package: 2000 lats a year – includes full Balans programme; unlimited use of wellness facilities, plus guest passes; and discounts for the hotel, spa (25 per cent) and restaurant (10 per cent)
Jurmala we have centuries of heritage and I’ve always felt we were on the right track. “And now we’re at a really exciting
point, with great added value thanks to new partnerships with Elier and Russie Blanche [see information box, p69]. Our brands are all new to the market and we’re all taking off together. It’s taken fi ve years of development for us to get here, and I feel we’ve only now achieved the balance we need in our business. Now we need to learn how to maintain that balance, just as our customers have to do on their Balans programme.”
healthclub@leisuremedia.com kate cracknell
Read Health Club Management online at
healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital 71
by numbers Average hotel occupancy: 55 per
cent across the year; almost 100 per cent in the summer Length of stay: 60 per cent weekend
breaks; 10 per cent stay for six weeks. 2010 nightly hotel rates:
€50 (35
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